Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



A. W. PEARSALL. PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED ABILIZ, 1909.

1,107,547. Patented Aug. 13, 1914,

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A. w. PEARSALL.

PNEUMATIC DBSPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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A. W. PEARSALL.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APILIOATION FILED APR. 12, 1909. 1,1 07,547., Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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UNITED srarns PATENT sion ALBERT W. PEARSALL, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR LAMSON COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1 8, 1914:.

Application filed April 12, 1909 Serial No. 489,301.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT W. PnARsALL, ofLowell, in the countyof Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful. Improvements in Pneumatic-Despatch-TubeApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements lIl pneumatic despatch tubeapparatus, especially such as use pressure below that of at mosphere, orvacuo system, to efiect the pro pulsion of carriers or messages.

In particular, my inventlon relates to a terminal for a vacuo pneumatlctransmission tube system, located in an intermediate position in adouble tube or c1rcu1t line which permits of thesimultaneous-transmission of carriers in either direction from thesource of power.

The object of my invention is to provide a terminal in which carriersmay be delivered and despatched through the same terminal orificereliably, a single valve serving to eifect the closure of the outlet andthe inlet orifice.

A further object of m invention is to provide a combination receivmg anddespatching terminal which Wlll require the least possible space, andthus permit of the r being installed out of view of the public and inwrapping desks, shelving, and where 3 glass cases form both the countersand fix- 1 tur'es;

A further important object of my-invention is to reduce the cost of asalesmans intermediate terminal by dispensing with a separate sendinginlet at the same 111116.

simplifying the installation, and thus re-j ducin g the cost of labor,tubing and other fittings.

A still further and important object of;

my invention is toprovide a terminal of the f single valve type thatWlll "deliver the carriers reliably under varying loads-and varyingpressure below that of the atmosphere. In the accompanying drawingswhlch illustrate a construction embodying my inv ven'tion, Figure 1represents a diagrammatic 5 view of d'ouble tube or circuit oft'ransmission. tube with the terminal located in an 5intermediateposition. Fig. 2 is a side view of a wrapping desk showingterminal inst-allation arrangement. I Fig. 3 is a partlal 5 the valve 0and which consists sectional side view of terminal in its normalcondition. Fig. 4 is a sectional side view showing a carrier in the actof being introduced or despatched. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of Fig.8. Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of the terminal in the act ofdelivering carrier.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to Fig. l: The air is drawn into the bellmouth or open end ofthe transmission tube at a through the outgoing transmission tube 6,through the combination terminal C, through bend d, transmission tube'6, despatching 90 degree inlet bend, incoming transmission tube 9,central oflice receiving terminal h, air-connection tube J toair-receiving drum K and to an exhauster operatijvely connectedtherewith. The combination terminal consistsfof a hollow casingpreferably made in two halves, right and left (0 and 0 Fig. 5) suitablyjoined together and which may be of any suitable form, as for examplethat shown in Fig. 3 which has a curve to an arc of 180 degrees.

The terminal casing is provided with an orifice 0 which has foritsclosure a valve 0 carried on shaft 0 and ears 0 and c and.

provided with a perforated seat 0 mounted on the valve '0 are the ears 0and 0 carrying the shaft 0 which carries the swinging flap 0 forming theclosure of the opening 0 in the sheet metal hinge 0 to which is securedthe seat 0 In the valve 0 at its lower end is a recess 0 throitlgh whichpasses the shaft 0 to which is aflixed without the recess the fingerpiece 0 and to which is affixed within the recess the lever c". On thevalve 0 at its lower end and at each side of the recess 0 are the ears 0and 0 proecting into the orlfice 0. Passing through the ears 1s a shaft7 which carries the de fleeting finger 7 which at the outer end ishook-shaped and projects in a recess f in the terminal casings 0 '0.AiliXed to the deflecting finger f is a tooth projection 7'' which isadapted to engage with lever c. Surrounding the shaft 0 is a helicalspring 7, one end of which passes under the pin 7 and the other underthe screw 7, Fig. 5, and which tends to open the valve 0 against theatmospheric pressure.

preferably of The operation is as follows: A carrier being introduced inthe bell mouth a is transmitted through the transmission tube 7) byatmospheric pressure into terminal C, being deflected by finger fthrough the orifice c and strikes the fiap 0 opening it by its impactagainst the atmospheric pressure. In so doing, the atmospheric pressureis relieved from the valve 0 and the spring f forces the valve 0 in theposition shown, Fig. 6. The catch of the. deflecting finger f engagesthe edge of the recess f preventing it from moving farther, butestablishing the opening a 'Fig. 6, through which the current of air isdrawn, relieving the carrier from the inrush of air permitting it todeliver; immediately after it has cleared the fiap 0 thelatter seatsclosing the opening a in valve 0 at which time the action of atmosphericpressure overcomes the action of the spring 7" on the valve 0 causing itto close the orifice 0 thus restoring the terminal. to its normalposition. In despatchin a carrier from the terminal C to the centrastation 72,, Fig. 1, the finger piece 0 is raised which causes the lever0 to engage the tooth 4 causing the deflecting finger f to assume theposition shown in Fig. 4: when the valve 0 maybe opened as shown in Fig.4-, permitting the insertion of the carrier which will then be propelledthrough bend d, tube C, 90 degree inlet bend f, transmission tube 9,receiving terminal h; in the meantime, the valve 0 is closed and thedeflecting finger assumes the position shown in Fig. 3 restoring theterminal h to normal position and completing the air circuit through thetransmission tube.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth aconstruction embodying the same, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a pneumatic despatch system, means for guiding carriers along adetermined path through said system, a terminal along said path andprovided with an orifice through which carriers are delivered and intowhich carriers are inserted for transmission, a valve normally closingsaid orifice and adapted to be opened by the impact of a dischargingcarrier, means, movable into two positions to either allow carriers tocontinue along said path past said terminal or to divert the carrierfrom said path against said valve, and means to actuate said lastmentioned means.

2. In a vacuo despatch system, a terminal provided with a single orificethrough which carriers are delivered and into which carriers areinserted for transmission, a valve normally closing said orifice, and aswitch carried by said valve for diverting the carriers from theterminal.

3. In a vacuo despatch system, a terminal provided with a single orificethrough which carriers are delivered and into which carriers areinserted for transmission, a valve normally closing said orifice, aswitch carried by said valve for diverting the carriers from theterminal, and means for removing said switch out of its normal positionupon the opening of the valve for inserting carriers for transmission.

a. In a vacuo despatch system, a terminal provided with a single orificethrough which carriers are delivered and into which carri ers areinserted for. transmission, a valve normally closing said orifice, andmeans for relieving the carrier from the infiow of air in the act ofdelivery from said terminal.

. 5. In a vacuo despatch system, a terminal provided with a singleorifice through which carriers are delivered and into which carriers areinserted for transmission, a valve norn'ially closing said orifice, anda switch normally across the transmission tube and carried by said valvefor diverting the car-- riers from the terminal.

6. Ina vacuo despatch system, a terminal provided with a single orificethroughwhich carriers are delivered and into which carriers are insertedfor transmission, a valve for normally closing said orifice and adaptedto be moved from its seat on. the impact of the discharging carrier andprovided with a fiap through which the carrier discharges .upon themovement of said valve from its seat whereby the inflow of air aroundthe valve into the terminal relieves the pressure of the inflow of airon the carrier discharging through said flap. e

7. In a vacuo despatch system, a terminal provided with a single orificethrough which carriers are delivered and into which carriers areinserted for transmission, a valve normally closing said orifice, aswitch normally across the transmissionitube and carried by said valvefor diverting the carriers from the terminal, and means for removingsaid switch out of its normal position upon the opening of the valve forthe insertion of carriers for transmission.

8. In a pneumatic despatch system, means for guiding carriers along adetermined path through. said, system, a terminal along said path andprovided with an orifice through which carriers are delivered and intowhich carriers are inserted .for transmission, a valve normally closinsaid orifice andadapted to be opened by the impact of a dischargingcarrier, and switching means adapted to be rendered operative to directcarriers out through said orifice, which carriers would continue alongsaid path past said termi-' nal if said switching means wereinoperative. I

9. In a pneumatic despatch system, a terminal provided with an orificethrough which carriers are delivered and into which carriers areinserted for transmission, a valve normally closing said orifice, aswitch, and connections between said valve and switch for rendering thelatter operative When the valve occupies one position and inoperativewhen said valve occupies another position.

10. In a pneumatic despatch system, a terminal provided with an orificethrough which incoming carriers are delivered and into which outgoingcarriers are inserted for transmission, a guide relatively movable withrespect to said orifice for directing incoming carriers theretoward, andmeans for removing the guide from the path of an outgoing carrier whenthe latter is being despatched.

11. In a pneumatic despatch system, a terminal provided with an orificethrough which incoming carriers are delivered and into which outgoingcarriers are inserted for transmission, a guide relatively movable withrespect to said orifice and disposed to normally direct incomingcarriers thereto- Ward, and means for removing the guide from the pathof an outgoing carrier when the latter is being despatched.

12. In a pneumatic despatch system, a terminal provided with an orificethrough which carriers may be delivered, said terminal also beingprovided with a Way past said orifice, a valve normally closing saidorifice and adapted to be opened by the impact of the carrier beingdischarged through said orifice, and means, normally movable into andout of its operative position independently oi the carriers, fordiverting carriers against said valve which would otherwise traversesaid way past said orifice.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this seventh day of April A. D.1909.

ALBERT W. PEARSALL.

Witnesses LoUIs Gr. BARTLETT, A. L. MESSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C."

